What Will Be Your New Normal In Retirement?
In the retirement transition workshops I do for companies, I always talk about the concept of flexibility and openness to change. Understanding that this is a normal part of the life cycle helps us prepare for this dramatic change in our daily lives. One of my own personal quotes is “there is life after work and work after retirement. You get to choose.”
But what if your life’s work after retirement is idealized and romanticized to the extent that you are not prepared for the adjustments that leaving work will bring? Traveling months on end, playing with grandchildren, watching hours of TV or playing golf every day might work for some, but for the majority of boomers, it won’t be nearly enough.
Four of the major life transitions that most of us go through are beginning that first real job, getting married, starting a family, and leaving traditional work. Each is exciting and new in its own way, but each is also a major life change. Starting your career is exciting but at the same time requires a lot of hard work to move forward in your career. Getting married to the person you plan to share the rest of your life with is filled with love and anticipation but also has its challenges. Having your first child is such a blessing and an exciting time of life. However, many parents aren’t initially prepared for the sleepless nights or the medical and educational challenges of raising a child in today’s world.
The fourth change usually occurs after we’ve completed these other accomplishments. You’ve worked hard your whole life to get to this point. You’ve dreamed of the freedom you’ll have, the excitement of trying new activities, and perhaps the possibility of transitioning to a whole new career. You’ve even considered starting this new life in an entirely new location. Dreaming and romanticizing about what your new life in retirement will be like is the easy part. The hard part is doing the work necessary to prepare yourself for the real-life situations that will occur. What was normal in your life for 30 or 40 years will suddenly change and you must create a new normal.
Any kind of dramatic change, just like getting married and having children, will change what is normal and change you in some way. Staying who you’ve always been in your work world will not allow for the person you need to be in your new retirement world to emerge. Only if you have anticipated and planned for all aspects of your new life will you be your most successful. Your new normal should take into account social interaction, physical fitness, healthy relationships, financial preparation, personal development, and leisure activities. Considering all of these various facets of your new retirement will bring more success as you move forward in this next chapter of your life.
To help orient yourself to reality and not fall prey to romantic and idealized notions about retirement, here are some thoughts for you to consider.
- What is work providing for you now that you will need to replace in your retirement? (See my newsletter on What Work Provides)
- How will you coordinate your needs and wants with your partner’s vision of this next phase of your life?
- What is normal for you now and how will that change to a new normal in retirement?
- Is your attitude about retirement grounded in reality so you will have the flexibility you’ll need as you encounter sharp curves and detours in the road ahead?
- Will you grow into new routines and be grounded so you can accommodate life’s surprises?
- How will you face the losses that will surely come in your life with grace and acceptance?
Remember that all transitions in our lives, with the right attitude, lead to growth and new possibilities. However, the new normal requires wiggle room to allow for change. As you know from experience, no matter how hard you try, you can’t anticipate everything.
Now go find your new normal as you make the best of your life for the rest of your life.
Dee
Dee Cascio
Author, speaker, Licensed Psychotherapist, Certified Life Coach, Retirement Lifestyle/ReCareer Coach, and Life and Work Transitions Strategies Coach.
The Life and Work Transitions Community
You’ve joined a great group — people who plan to make successful transitions in life and work. May you be inspired to use your strengths and skills to grow in this season and may each transition be your best ever.
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